Regarding info about formation of counties in the US - I believe one of the several editions of the Handy Book for Genealogists by Everton Publishing Co., probably in the reference section of a public library, or in the reference section of a genealogy section of a library, will give you the information about the date a county was formed and what the parent county was. In some editions, there is also a list of the progeny counties--that is, the county or counties formed from the parent county. I don't remember whether this info appeared in later editions. I have not used my Handy Book for sometime. The LDS Family History Library catalog--www.familysearch.org--under the PLACE search will tell you the date of formation and the parent county for a particular US county, but I do not believe there is any reference to progeny counties--and sometimes you need that info. I do a LOT of research in colonial Virginia counties, and some of the counties got land from two counties, and then at times that boundary was revoked and part of the progeny county reverted back to the parent county. In that instance, I use a County Boundary Change atlas for Virginia, but I do not know of such an atlas for North Carolina. However, for North Carolina, there is a paperback book by William S. Powell called The North Carolina Gazetteer: A Dictionary of Tar Heel Places [Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press, 1968]. It is somewhat helpful, especially with watercourses, although once in a while a watercourse will be named in a county record, and that name is missing from Powell's book. Otherwise, I can appreciate all the work that must have gone into compiling such a book before personal computers became commonplace. Here is an explanation of Oxford Town and county seat, central Granville Co., Authorized to be laid off in 1811 and inc. 1816. The land on which the town was est. had been a part of Samuel Benton's plantation, "Oxford," hence the name. See also Harris Burgh. Produces tobacco and textiles. Appears on the Price map, 1808. Alt. 476. [p. 368] Williamsboro - town in N. Vance Co. near the head of Little Island Creek. It was authorized to be laid out in 1786 and inc. 1808. The place was first called The Lick for a salt lick in the vicinity. It was later known as Nutbush from the creek of that name which was named by Wm. Byrd's dividing line part in 1782 because of the profusion of hazelnuts there. Williamsboro was named in honor of Judge John Williams (1732-99). St. John's Episcopal Church here, dating from 1757, has been restored to its original condition. [p. 535] Knap of Reeds - former community in sw Granville county dating from the nineteenth century or earlier. The site is now within the Butner area. A Knap of Reeds District in 1790 had 77 heads of families at the time of the first census. [p. 166] Hope this helps you locate both the Handy Book and Powell's Gazetteer in a library near you. Before the internet, all genealogists were urged to buy the Handy Book, and it is still quite useful. Some wonderful state maps in some editions, plus some maps of migration trails. By the way, if you suspect any of your NC people were paid for activities/goods/services in the American Revolution, look up the author Weynette Parks Haun of Durham, NC. She has transcribed some Army Accounts and indexed them [bless indexes!] and there are many volumes of her works. Here is her website: _http://www.weynetteparkshaun.com/_ (http://www.weynetteparkshaun.com/) E.W.Wallace whose Granville Co. folks mostly died there or went thataway!!!

There is a web site that shows the formation of counties in the US by state. It is http://www.genealogyinc.com/maps/uscf.htm It also has US census maps by state. I find this site very useful. Hope this helps. Mimi Kelly Hdanw@aol.com wrote: >Regarding info about formation of counties in the US - I believe one of the >several editions of the Handy Book for Genealogists by Everton Publishing Co., > probably in the reference section of a public library, or in the reference >section of a genealogy section of a library, will give you the information >about the date a county was formed and what the parent county was. In some >editions, there is also a list of the progeny counties--that is, the county or >counties formed from the parent county. I don't remember whether this info >appeared in later editions. I have not used my Handy Book for sometime. > >The LDS Family History Library catalog--www.familysearch.org--under the >PLACE search will tell you the date of formation and the parent county for a >particular US county, but I do not believe there is any reference to progeny >counties--and sometimes you need that info. I do a LOT of research in colonial >Virginia counties, and some of the counties got land from two counties, and >then at times that boundary was revoked and part of the progeny county reverted >back to the parent county. In that instance, I use a County Boundary Change >atlas for Virginia, but I do not know of such an atlas for North Carolina. > >However, for North Carolina, there is a paperback book by William S. Powell >called The North Carolina Gazetteer: A Dictionary of Tar Heel Places [Chapel >Hill: The University of North Carolina Press, 1968]. It is somewhat >helpful, especially with watercourses, although once in a while a watercourse will >be named in a county record, and that name is missing from Powell's book. >Otherwise, I can appreciate all the work that must have gone into compiling >such a book before personal computers became commonplace. > >Here is an explanation of Oxford > >Town and county seat, central Granville Co., Authorized to be laid off in >1811 and inc. 1816. The land on which the town was est. had been a part of >Samuel Benton's plantation, "Oxford," hence the name. See also Harris Burgh. >Produces tobacco and textiles. Appears on the Price map, 1808. Alt. 476. >[p. 368] > >Williamsboro - town in N. Vance Co. near the head of Little Island Creek. >It was authorized to be laid out in 1786 and inc. 1808. The place was first >called The Lick for a salt lick in the vicinity. It was later known as >Nutbush from the creek of that name which was named by Wm. Byrd's dividing line >part in 1782 because of the profusion of hazelnuts there. Williamsboro was >named in honor of Judge John Williams (1732-99). St. John's Episcopal Church >here, dating from 1757, has been restored to its original condition. [p. 535] > >Knap of Reeds - former community in sw Granville county dating from the >nineteenth century or earlier. The site is now within the Butner area. A Knap >of Reeds District in 1790 had 77 heads of families at the time of the first >census. [p. 166] > >Hope this helps you locate both the Handy Book and Powell's Gazetteer in a >library near you. Before the internet, all genealogists were urged to buy the >Handy Book, and it is still quite useful. Some wonderful state maps in some >editions, plus some maps of migration trails. > >By the way, if you suspect any of your NC people were paid for >activities/goods/services in the American Revolution, look up the author Weynette Parks >Haun of Durham, NC. She has transcribed some Army Accounts and indexed them >[bless indexes!] and there are many volumes of her works. Here is her website: > _http://www.weynetteparkshaun.com/_ (http://www.weynetteparkshaun.com/) > >E.W.Wallace >whose Granville Co. folks mostly died there or went thataway!!! > > > >==== NCGRANVI Mailing List ==== >Granville County List Administrator >Debra McCann - chenae@ap.net > >============================== >Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the >last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx > > > > >

I just happened to have posted this on another list, but the same can apply here since it is for North Carolina, I think that this might help somewhat: While doing some Google searching, I came across a couple of interesting sites that others might want to visit. The first is a website with much info on North Carolina and it's cities and counties which includes links maps to each state and county: http://reference.allrefer.com/gazetteer/ This website is a good one which contains a complete history of the the formation and survey disputes for North Carolina and how the state's boundaries were established and re-established over the years: http://www.ls.net/~newriver/nc/wnc2.htm Enjoy. Deloris ----- Original Message ----- From: <Hdanw@aol.com> To: <NCGRANVI-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, April 01, 2006 12:06 AM Subject: [NCGRANVI] Formation of Counties > Regarding info about formation of counties in the US - I believe one of > the > several editions of the Handy Book for Genealogists by Everton Publishing > Co., > probably in the reference section of a public library, or in the reference > section of a genealogy section of a library, will give you the information > about the date a county was formed and what the parent county was. In > some > editions, there is also a list of the progeny counties--that is, the > county or > counties formed from the parent county. I don't remember whether this > info > appeared in later editions. I have not used my Handy Book for sometime. > > The LDS Family History Library catalog--www.familysearch.org--under the > PLACE search will tell you the date of formation and the parent county for > a > particular US county, but I do not believe there is any reference to > progeny > counties--and sometimes you need that info. I do a LOT of research in > colonial > Virginia counties, and some of the counties got land from two counties, > and > then at times that boundary was revoked and part of the progeny county > reverted > back to the parent county. In that instance, I use a County Boundary > Change > atlas for Virginia, but I do not know of such an atlas for North > Carolina. > > However, for North Carolina, there is a paperback book by William S. > Powell > called The North Carolina Gazetteer: A Dictionary of Tar Heel Places > [Chapel > Hill: The University of North Carolina Press, 1968]. It is somewhat > helpful, especially with watercourses, although once in a while a > watercourse will > be named in a county record, and that name is missing from Powell's book. > Otherwise, I can appreciate all the work that must have gone into > compiling > such a book before personal computers became commonplace. > > Here is an explanation of Oxford > > Town and county seat, central Granville Co., Authorized to be laid off > in > 1811 and inc. 1816. The land on which the town was est. had been a part > of > Samuel Benton's plantation, "Oxford," hence the name. See also Harris > Burgh. > Produces tobacco and textiles. Appears on the Price map, 1808. Alt. > 476. > [p. 368] > > Williamsboro - town in N. Vance Co. near the head of Little Island Creek. > It was authorized to be laid out in 1786 and inc. 1808. The place was > first > called The Lick for a salt lick in the vicinity. It was later known as > Nutbush from the creek of that name which was named by Wm. Byrd's > dividing line > part in 1782 because of the profusion of hazelnuts there. Williamsboro > was > named in honor of Judge John Williams (1732-99). St. John's Episcopal > Church > here, dating from 1757, has been restored to its original condition. [p. > 535] > > Knap of Reeds - former community in sw Granville county dating from the > nineteenth century or earlier. The site is now within the Butner area. > A Knap > of Reeds District in 1790 had 77 heads of families at the time of the > first > census. [p. 166] > > Hope this helps you locate both the Handy Book and Powell's Gazetteer in a > library near you. Before the internet, all genealogists were urged to buy > the > Handy Book, and it is still quite useful. Some wonderful state maps in > some > editions, plus some maps of migration trails. > > By the way, if you suspect any of your NC people were paid for > activities/goods/services in the American Revolution, look up the author > Weynette Parks > Haun of Durham, NC. She has transcribed some Army Accounts and indexed > them > [bless indexes!] and there are many volumes of her works. Here is her > website: > _http://www.weynetteparkshaun.com/_ (http://www.weynetteparkshaun.com/) > > E.W.Wallace > whose Granville Co. folks mostly died there or went thataway!!! > > > > ==== NCGRANVI Mailing List ==== > Granville County List Administrator > Debra McCann - chenae@ap.net > > ============================== > Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the > last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn more: > http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx > >